I know I sound like an idiot here but well, I can't get the diff cover off. I've done this before and just taken a screwdriver and beat it in the edges with a hammer to go pry the cover off. Well, I can't get it to go inbetween the cover and housing this time no matter how I seem to beat on the screw driver. I've got all the bolts out and the rtv is holding it super tight. Any ideas? I stuck a huge screwdriver more like a prybar into the fill hole and try to pry it off there to no avail. Any ideas on how to get this thing off?

 

Use a stiff gasket scraper or putty knife and hammer it in. Either the tool will break or the cover will come off. And next time, use less gasket making compound.

 

I use a putty knife. I'd be l careful using a screw driver. You don't want to gouge the housing.

 

I tried a gasket scraper too. It wont go in either. A shop put this thing on last time not me so I didn't control how much gasket maker they put on there. I think I may try a putty knife and see if that works.

 

Put the two top bolts back in but not snug. Otherwise when it does pop off, you'll be wearing the oil. I just used a flat screwdriver and pounded a few times and work around the bottom until it pops.

 

Thats how I normally do it too but it wont work on this one. I decided to take a break from the front diff and went and took the back cover off and cleaned it up. This front one is just being a pain.

 

I wouldn't ever use a screwdriver, it is two thick. That will either gouge one of the surfaces or it will warp the cover. I always use a putty knife. I think you just need to keep working at it, eventually, you should be able to get the edge of the putty knife to break in, and then you can start working it around.

 

Tell the shop to use RTV not Epoxy. Oh wait, too late.

Try to pound from the front of the truck backward onto the cover, not the housing. If that doesn't work get a large hammer or sledge and a 3/4" or 1" wooden dowel rod and hit it ata steep angle into the edge of the drain plug hole and try to rotate the cover loose. Whatever you do, make sure you're doingit to the cover, not the axle housing.You can also try the same thing to the "corners" of the Diff cover, pound inward toward the center of the circle with a dowel and see if you can't get an edge loose to pry into.

Last idea, use as last resort:Put chain with a bolt thru it to anchor insidethe drain hole and pull the cover off withyour buddy's truck.
Better to replace a cover than an axle.

 

If there is RTV sticking out from between the cover and the housing, use a knife to cut it away flush with the cover's edge. Then, your putty knife doesn't have to try to push past that lip of RTV, and you might be able to get it between the cover and the housing easier.

 

I finally got my puddy knife in there enough to use a screwdriver to pry it apart. I know you said not to but it's the only way I could get it off. Now I have that other ? about the piece with the knick in it. See that thread and see what you guys think.